...your two-year old is captivated by the nearly (toddler) knee-high "helicopters" growing in the yard.
Monday, April 30, 2007
You know it's time the mow the grass when...
...your two-year old is captivated by the nearly (toddler) knee-high "helicopters" growing in the yard.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
Miscreant Irises
I have a problem with irises. Although I like the flower, the foliage doesn't do anything for me, and the foliage lasts a long time. Plus, they have always seem to be a bit promiscuous and untidy in their division, which offends my Victorian sensibilities, I guess.
Imagine my delight when we bought a house with an entire bed of irises.
It's not a big area, maybe 8 feet, but it was on both sides of a fence and a mess. My strategy was 1.) clean out the beds on both sides of the fence, 2.) insert shrubs that can stand up to the irises on the East side of fence 3.) replant a small fraction of the bulbs along with some heirloom irises (for sentimental reasons) on the West side of the fence and 4.) hope for the best.
The irises won. See irises below, crowding the spirea.
And encroaching on the peony and hosta territory.
One of the heirloom irises bloomed--the first. This iris have been passed down from my great-grandmother. It smells like grape Kool-Aid.
Imagine my delight when we bought a house with an entire bed of irises.
It's not a big area, maybe 8 feet, but it was on both sides of a fence and a mess. My strategy was 1.) clean out the beds on both sides of the fence, 2.) insert shrubs that can stand up to the irises on the East side of fence 3.) replant a small fraction of the bulbs along with some heirloom irises (for sentimental reasons) on the West side of the fence and 4.) hope for the best.
The irises won. See irises below, crowding the spirea.
And encroaching on the peony and hosta territory.
One of the heirloom irises bloomed--the first. This iris have been passed down from my great-grandmother. It smells like grape Kool-Aid.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
The Herb Garden
One of my goals this year was to start an herb garden. I don't have enough time to take care of a larger vegetable garden, but I really wanted to have fresh herbs, and I always will remember Mom's wonderful-smelling herb garden.
Last fall I converted one of the few sunny spots of our backyard to a flower/herb bed. The previous owner had left a mound of daylilies here, as if they had dug them out of the ground and then didn't know what to do with them. J. and Dad cut back the cedar tree on the other side of the fence to bring in some more light. I spaded the area and installed the border. The soil here is hideous clay, so I added humic material. We planted some of the rescued daylilies along the fence, then added a weigela and a few other perennials. Mom provided chives and sedum from her garden.
My plan was to start herb seeds indoors and than transfer outside. However, I was a little busier than I projected this winter, mainly due to an opportunity at work that was too good to miss. When the weather turned unseasonably warm in March, I assumed winter was over and thought, "Well, heck, just throw the seeds in the ground." A respectable plan, until the freeze. Although nothing had sprouted when the temperatures dropped that week, the poor little seedlings probably never stood a chance.
So, I decided I'd replace what I'd lost with potted herbs. Photo from last night:
It's mostly mulched now, just a few spots by the fence. The bare spots on the ground are the few seedlings that did survive (marjoram, thyme, and catnip) plus a couple species for which I haven't found the replacements (tarragon and lemon balm).
I think I have gone a little crazy trying to fill in all the gaps with something green. J. now longer allows me to go to Lowes without a chaperone. I added a few annuals (marigolds and lantana) for some color and I couldn't resist a blue-eyed grass plant. And there are some perennials on the edges of the garden (out of frame) that I didn't photograph and I won't admit to.
Labelled version of photo:
I've been targeting culinary herbs plus herbs that are supposed to have mosquito repellant oils. I've read that you can run your hands through catnip or lemon balm and other herbs and fend off (partially) the bites.
So, that's where it stands. Can't wait to see what it looks like in a month or two.
Last fall I converted one of the few sunny spots of our backyard to a flower/herb bed. The previous owner had left a mound of daylilies here, as if they had dug them out of the ground and then didn't know what to do with them. J. and Dad cut back the cedar tree on the other side of the fence to bring in some more light. I spaded the area and installed the border. The soil here is hideous clay, so I added humic material. We planted some of the rescued daylilies along the fence, then added a weigela and a few other perennials. Mom provided chives and sedum from her garden.
My plan was to start herb seeds indoors and than transfer outside. However, I was a little busier than I projected this winter, mainly due to an opportunity at work that was too good to miss. When the weather turned unseasonably warm in March, I assumed winter was over and thought, "Well, heck, just throw the seeds in the ground." A respectable plan, until the freeze. Although nothing had sprouted when the temperatures dropped that week, the poor little seedlings probably never stood a chance.
So, I decided I'd replace what I'd lost with potted herbs. Photo from last night:
It's mostly mulched now, just a few spots by the fence. The bare spots on the ground are the few seedlings that did survive (marjoram, thyme, and catnip) plus a couple species for which I haven't found the replacements (tarragon and lemon balm).
I think I have gone a little crazy trying to fill in all the gaps with something green. J. now longer allows me to go to Lowes without a chaperone. I added a few annuals (marigolds and lantana) for some color and I couldn't resist a blue-eyed grass plant. And there are some perennials on the edges of the garden (out of frame) that I didn't photograph and I won't admit to.
Labelled version of photo:
I've been targeting culinary herbs plus herbs that are supposed to have mosquito repellant oils. I've read that you can run your hands through catnip or lemon balm and other herbs and fend off (partially) the bites.
So, that's where it stands. Can't wait to see what it looks like in a month or two.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Annuals
I planted annuals in the rosebed (the former rose-rockbed) today. I pulled back the plastic under the mulch and found a surprise.
The orange cable. It must be the cable/internet/phone line that our cable provider could not find when we moved here. Also, there's that a white plastic pipe with a square top, which reminds me of a gas release for a sewer. What is that?
The cable extends almost to the fireplace, and then I lost it again. I shoved the cable back under the tarp, so it now sits at the edge of the fold of the tarp (about 14" away from the cement). Mental note: don't dig there.
On with the annuals. I add some potting soil to the clay to increase the odds of survival. Then, I planted one six-pack of coleus (back row) and two six packs of impatients (pink and white mix in the front). I left them high relative to the ground surface, to account for the mulch.
The next step was a little tricky. I cut the "Ts" and "Hs" into the tarp so that the plants would poke through. Then, I pull the tarp back and rake the mulch back into place. (In retrospect, I should have cut the tarp first, then planted the annuals.)
Wow, they look so tiny there.
The orange cable. It must be the cable/internet/phone line that our cable provider could not find when we moved here. Also, there's that a white plastic pipe with a square top, which reminds me of a gas release for a sewer. What is that?
The cable extends almost to the fireplace, and then I lost it again. I shoved the cable back under the tarp, so it now sits at the edge of the fold of the tarp (about 14" away from the cement). Mental note: don't dig there.
On with the annuals. I add some potting soil to the clay to increase the odds of survival. Then, I planted one six-pack of coleus (back row) and two six packs of impatients (pink and white mix in the front). I left them high relative to the ground surface, to account for the mulch.
The next step was a little tricky. I cut the "Ts" and "Hs" into the tarp so that the plants would poke through. Then, I pull the tarp back and rake the mulch back into place. (In retrospect, I should have cut the tarp first, then planted the annuals.)
Wow, they look so tiny there.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Neatest Park Ever
One of the lesser-known treasures of our area is the Rochman Park. It was built by a local investor as memorial to his son. This park has a Dungeons and Dragons theme, complete with dueling wizards, dragons, and gnomes. The main feature is a castle, which means Owen is in heaven.
The castle. (Pardon the bad photoshopping on this one. I think I focused on a cloud instead of the castle, and the castle become too dark to see anything. I lightened everything so that you could see the castle, but this made the sky look strange. I'm sure there's a way around it, but I need to learn more about photoshop first. Or, I could just learn to take better photos in the first place. Never seem to find time for either.)
Owen loves this place.
I like the ogre guarding the castle entrance.
The castle is a maze. What you see in the photo above is likely no less than four different paths through the castle. And that's just a part of one corner. Children and husbands easily become lost. Fortunately, there is only a few exits, so at least they're contained.
View looking upwards at one of the towers.
The level of detail is insanely amazing. Everywhere you look, there is something else to see. In the photo above there is a goblin, towerguarding a corner.
A finer point; a handmade tile.
Still astounded by the details; this is one type of the light fixtures.
Again, sorry for the surreal-looking photoshop job. What I was trying to photograph is the flying dragon, carrying a skull in its claws.
The park is set in a grove, and the trees complement the area perfectly. Above: a carving in one of trees.
Our little monkey, scrambling up a knight's effigy mound.
And sliding down the mulch.
That's all the photos. There is much more, just too much to take in at one time.
The castle. (Pardon the bad photoshopping on this one. I think I focused on a cloud instead of the castle, and the castle become too dark to see anything. I lightened everything so that you could see the castle, but this made the sky look strange. I'm sure there's a way around it, but I need to learn more about photoshop first. Or, I could just learn to take better photos in the first place. Never seem to find time for either.)
Owen loves this place.
I like the ogre guarding the castle entrance.
The castle is a maze. What you see in the photo above is likely no less than four different paths through the castle. And that's just a part of one corner. Children and husbands easily become lost. Fortunately, there is only a few exits, so at least they're contained.
View looking upwards at one of the towers.
The level of detail is insanely amazing. Everywhere you look, there is something else to see. In the photo above there is a goblin, towerguarding a corner.
A finer point; a handmade tile.
Still astounded by the details; this is one type of the light fixtures.
Again, sorry for the surreal-looking photoshop job. What I was trying to photograph is the flying dragon, carrying a skull in its claws.
The park is set in a grove, and the trees complement the area perfectly. Above: a carving in one of trees.
Our little monkey, scrambling up a knight's effigy mound.
And sliding down the mulch.
That's all the photos. There is much more, just too much to take in at one time.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Brrr.
We've had a cold snap, with night temperatures in the 20s oF for the past three nights. Last night was supposed to be the last of the freezing temperatures. I'm kicking myself for setting as many things outside as I did. Eh, live, learn, and go back to Lowes.
We covered the hostas, the basil, the lavender, and the rosemary. The basil is deader than dead. Everything else looks a little stressed.
We should have covered more, though. The hydrangeas, the weigila, and the crepe myrtle have all suffered. Even the boxwood bushes and the nandina are droopy in the morning. Argh, so much for an early spring.
We covered the hostas, the basil, the lavender, and the rosemary. The basil is deader than dead. Everything else looks a little stressed.
We should have covered more, though. The hydrangeas, the weigila, and the crepe myrtle have all suffered. Even the boxwood bushes and the nandina are droopy in the morning. Argh, so much for an early spring.
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